Michael the ghost
by elkalee
Summary: This is basically just Michaels POV of the Morganville vampires, from start to finish. T for safety.
1. Chapter 1 Claire Danvers

**Chapter 1**

Michael Glass didn't like being a ghost. He felt like he was going to go insane at any moment. But it was better than being dead.

He hated that he couldn't leave. He'd tried to once. But he'd drifted away, becoming smoke and only just got back inside the house on time.

"Yo! Roomies! We've got a live one!"

He heard Eve calling, and drifted over. She'd brought in a small girl with dark hair-supposedly a potential roommate, who was also underage.

"Yo!" Eve yelled again "Shane, I smell the Chilli! Get your headphones out of your ears!"

Eve led the dark haired girl towards the couches, where Shane lay sprawled. Slowly, Shane woke up, rubbing his head. The girl opened her mouth to say something, but he put a finger to his lips.

"Hey. I'm Shane." he whispered. "What's up?" And then he noticed something that Michael hadn't noticed. The girl had a large bruise on her face. In fact, she seemed to have been beaten by someone. "Dude, that's a badass shiner. Hurts, Huh?"

The girl nodded. For a second, Michael wondered how the girl had got the bruise. But things like that happened only to often in Morganville. Hell, he'd been killed and turned into a ghost by the coffee shop owner.

Who just happened to be Eve's Boss. And a Vampire.

"So I guess you're gonna say that the other chick looks worse." Shane said.

"No, I-um-" the girl began "How did you know it was-"

"A Chick? Easy. Size you are, a guy would have put you in hospital with a punch hard enough to leave a mark like that." That was Shane. Perceptive in these things-but only because he'd been in a lot of fights already. "So what's up with that? You don't look like you go looking for trouble."

She didn't answer. Instead she said "I'm Claire. Hi."

Shane indicated for her to sit down on one of the leather chairs with a nod, and sat on the couch himself. "You want something?" Shane surprised Michael by asking. He didn't usually do that. "Coke, maybe? Chilli? Bus ticket back home?"

"Coke." Claire answered. "And Chilli."

"Good choice. I made it myself." Shane got up, and walked into the kitchen. Michael looked at Claire for a moment, then followed Shane.

Shane was pulling out the Chilli. "Hey. Eve." he said "Did you notice those bruises?"

"Yeah. Of course I did." Eve glared at Shane. "Didn't really say much except that she had had an accident, though. Like I used to have. You know, walking into fists."

Shane laughed darkly. He put the Chilli in the microwave and set it to heat up the Chilli. "Do you think it was one of them? She's unprotected." Eve said.

"What, Vampire?" Shane said.

"You know that's what I mean." Eve said.

"No." Shane said. "They'd have killed her. Trust me."

The microwave pinged. Shane made to take it out, but Eve got there first. "I'll give it to her. You can put some on for me."

And she took the chilli out to Claire. Shane quickly put some more chilli in the microwave, whilst muttering under his breath, and followed Eve out.

"Ice pack first." Eve instructed, giving it to Claire. Eve pushed the table toward Claire with her knee. "You can never tell what Shane puts in that Chilli. Be afraid."

Shane flopped down on the couch, and opened his can of Coke.

"Yeah man, thanks for bringing me one." Eve rolled her eye at Shane. "Dork."

"Didn't know if you wanted zombie dirt sprinkled on it or anything. If you're eating this week." he retorted.

"Dork! Go on and eat, I'll go get my own."

Eve walked back into the kitchen, whilst Claire took a spoonful of her chilli. Shane rushed her with raised eyebrows.

"Sgood." Claire said through a mouthful of food.

Eve walked in and sat down, and took a spoonful. "Not bad." Eve said "At least you left out the _Oh-My-God _sauce this time."

_That's nice to know._ Michael thought. He remembered how the Chilli had tasted two days ago, when Shane had put it the sauce-

It had almost burnt him alive.

_Oh well. _he said _At least if I die I'll come to life sooner or later...or will i? I mean, I die all the time, but if I was killed by the Chilli-_

"Made myself a batch with it." Shane said. Michael couldn't tell if he was joking or not. "It's got the biohazard sticker on it, so don't bitch if you get 'd you pick up the stray?"

Michael quickly made a mental note not to touch anything in the fridge with a biohazard sticker on it. Shane did have a tub with one on, after all-

"Outside. She came to see the room." Eve said.

"You beat her up first, just to make sure she's tough enough?"

"Bite me, Chilli boy." Eve said. Which, Michael thought, was never the cleverest thing to say in Morganville.

"Don't mind Eve." Shane said to Claire. "She hates working days. She's afraid she'll tan."  
"Yeah, and Shane just hates working." Eve crossed her arms. "So, what's your name?"

Claire opened her mouth the answer, but Shane answered instead. "Claire. What, you didn't even ask? A Chick beat her up., too. Probably some skank in the dorms. You know how that place is."  
"Is it true?" Eve gasped. "You got beat up in the dorm?" Claire nodded. "Well, that totally blows. No wonder you're looking for that room." Claire nodded again. "You didn't bring much with you."  
" I don't have much." Claire said. "Just my books and maybe a couple of things back at my room. But-I don't want to go back there and get my stuff. Not tonight."

"Why not?" Shane grabbed a baseball and starting throwing it. "Someone still looking to pound you?"

"Yeah. It's not just her/ She's got friends." Claire said. "And-that place...it's just creepy."

"Been there." Eve said. "Oh wait, still there."

Michael laughed slightly. They were all stuck here. Well, except maybe Claire, who might be able to leave one day...if she got back to the Dorm.

_Or, the Vampires could kill her. She's unprotected._

"What time is Michael getting up?" Eve asked.

"Hell Eve, I don't know." Shane said. "I love the guy, but I don't _love _the guy. Go bang his door and ask. Me, I gonna go get ready."

Michael groaned. So Shane was going out again. At least he had the sense this time to not go out at night.

"Ready for what?" Eve asked, and then she realised. "You're not seriously going out again, are you?"

"Seriously, yeah." Shane said. "Her names Laura. If you want the details, you're gonna have to download the video, like everybody else." He got off the couch. "See you later, Claire." he said.

"Wait a minute!" Eve said. "So, what do you say? Do you think she'll be okay here? Or what?"

Shane waved at hand at Eve. "Whatever man. Far as I'm concerned, she's OK." He smiled quickly at Claire, then disappeared upstairs.

"Guys." Eve sighed. "Damn. It'd be good to have another girl around here. They're like _yeah, whatever _and when it comes to picking up the place or washing dishes, they turn into ghosts." Michael laughed. He did turn into a ghost, true. Technically, he was a ghost.

"Not that you have to be, like, a maid or anything." Eve added quickly. "I mean...you've just gotta yell at them until they do there part or they walk all over you."

Claire smiled. When the blood trickled down onto her cheek from her spilt lip, she grabbed Eve's napkin and dabbed the cut with it.

Eve frowned. She picked up the abandoned ice pack and put it against Claries bumped head. "How's that?" she asked.

"Better." Claire said. "Um...I should ask...about the room."

"Well, you'll have to meet Michael and he has to say yes, but Michaels a sweetie, really." _Nice you think so, Eve_, Michael thought. "Oh, and he owns the place. His family does, anyway. I think they moved away and left the house a couple of years ago. He's about six months older than I am. We're all eighteen. Michaels sort of the oldest."

"He sleeps days?" Claire guessed.

"Yeah. I mean, _I _like to sleep days, but he's got a thing about it." Eve explained. "I called him a vampire once, cause he really doesn't like being up in the daytime. Like, never. He didn't think it was real funny."

_That's because almost became one._ Michael shuddered as he remembered Oliver tricking his way into the house, and pinning him to the sofa, and the pain as Oliver sunk his fangs into his neck and drank...and then the horror of waking up and staring down at his body...

"You sure he's not a vampire?" Claire asked. Michael could easily tell that she was joking. She didn't know anything about Morganville. "I've seen movies. They're sneaky."  
_The movies got that right._ Michael thought. He'd have never suspected that Oliver was a Vampire, and yet, he was. Oliver was the one that had made him a ghost.

"Oh pretty sure." Eve replied. "For one thing, he eats Shane's chilli, which, god knows, has enough Garlic into it to explode a dozen high-quality dracs. And I made him touch a cross once."

"You-_what?_" Claire sounded surprised. "Made him?"

"Well, sure. Yeah." Eve answered. "I mean, a girl can't be too careful. Especially around here." Claire looked blank. Eve rolled her eyes. "In Morganville, you know?"  
_Oh no, Eve. You're not going to-_

"What about it?" Claire asked.

"You mean you don't know?" Eve said in disbelief. "How could you not know? Morganville's full of Vampires."  
Michael groaned. Not that anyone heard him. He was a ghost. Right now, he didn't exist.

But he wished that he could be there. That he could tell Eve to keep her mouth shut, and tell Claire that she was too young to join the Glass House and to go back to the college.

But that wasn't going to happen.

Thankfully, Claire didn't believe Eve. She just laughed.

Eve didn't.

And Claire noticed.

"Um...you're kidding?" She said.

"How many kids graduate TPU every year?" Eve said as an answer. TPU was the local university.

"I don't know." Claire answered. "It's a crappy college, most everybody transfers out."

_Or become dinner..._Michael thought.

"Everybody _leaves._" Eve said. "Or most, they stop showing up, right? I can't believe you don't know this." Michael could. And Claire should stay in the unknown. It was

safer that way.

_Is it though?_ he wondered.

"Didn't anybody tell you the score before you moved in?" Eve continued ranting. "Look, the vamps run this town. They're in charge. And you're either in, or your out. If you work for them, if you pretend they're not here and they don't exist, you get a free pass. You get _protection._ Otherwise..." Eve mimed fangs on her throat.

From the look on Claries face, Claire thought Eve was mad.

_Good. _Michael thought. _Maybe she'll just leave and decide not to live with such mad people._

"You think I'm a wacko." Eve sighed when she saw Claries face. "Yeah, I get that. I'd think I was too, except I grew up in a protected house. My Dad works for a water company. My mom was a teacher. And we all wear these-" she held up her bracelet, the symbol now red. it was Brandon's, and it wouldn't protect her anymore. "See how mines red? Expired. It's like health insurance. Kids are only covered until they're eighteen." Se looked at it, and then pulled it off. "Might as well not wear it, I guess. It sure won't fool anyone."  
Claire still thought Eve was nuts. She hadn't grown up here, experienced life in Morganville where even if you were protected, you life could still end at any second.

"Fine. Go ahead. Think I'm nuts." Eve said. "I mean, why wouldn't I be? And I won't try to convince you or anything. Just-don't go out after dark unless you're with someone. Someone protected, if you can find them. Look for the bracelet. The symbols white if it's active."  
"But I-" Claire began, and then paused. Whatever she as going to say, she didn't say it, and instead said;

"Ok. Thanks. Um-Is Shane-"

"Shane? Protected?" Michael laughed. Eve snorted. "As if! Even if he was, which I doubt, he'd never admit it, and he doesn't wear the bracelet or anything. Michael-Michael isn't either, but there's a sort of standard protection on houses. We're sort of outcasts here. There's safety in numbers too"

Claire was trying to work out what to make of Eve, and the vampires, when she yawned. Eve laughed.

"Hey, call it a bedtime story." she said. "Listen; let me show you your room. Worst case, you lie down for a while, let the ice pack work, and then bug out. Or, hey-you wake up and decide you want to talk to Michael before you leave. Your choice."  
Michael watched Claire get up, Eve following. "Hey-can you make it up the stairs, because you know-" Eve began.

"I'm okay." Claire said.

They went upstairs. Michael floated, drifting up the stairs. Watching as Eve showed Claire which room was which. When she swung open Claire's room, Claire gasped.

"Is that a TV?" she asked.

"Yeah. Satellite Cable. You pitch in, though. Unless you wanna take it out the room." Eve explained. "Oh, and there's internet too. Broadband. I should probably warn you, they monitor internet traffic around here. You have to be careful what you say in messages and stuff." Eve dropped Claire's backpack on the dresser. "You don't have to decide right now. You probably ought to rest right now. Here-here's your ice pack." she handed it to Claire "When you get up, Michal will probably be awake. I have to get back to work, but it'll be okay." Eve smiled at Claire.

"Thank you, Eve." Claire said. "This is-Wow."  
"Yeah, well. You look like you could use a little wow today." Eve shrugged, and smiled again at Claire. "Sleep well. And don't worry, Vampires won't come here. This house has protection, even if we don't."

Eve left the room and shut the door. Claire lay back at the bed, staring up at the ceiling.

Michael knew that Claire couldn't see him, so he watched. He wanted to protect the girl-she was so young...to young to be in college, maybe only about 16, and she was dealing with Morganville.

But the Glass already had to much attention from the vampires. He couldn't risk anymore. He'd feel guilty if Claire got hurt, but he knew what he had to do.

Claire had to go...before things got dangerous.


	2. Chapter 2 The fourth resident

**Chapter 2-The Fourth Resident**

"Hey. Shane." Michael said "How was the date?"

"Laura was good at bowling. She beat me." Shane said. "I don't think we'll meet again."

"Shame." Michael said. "Wonder which girls next to fall victim to Shane Collins." He picked up his guitar and began strumming.

"Hey! I didn't have sex with her! She wouldn't let me!" Shane protested.

"Whatever, Man." Michael shrugged.

"A girl came today to look at the room." Shane flicked on the TV. "She seemed real banged up."

_Claire._ Michael thought. He'd watched her a while, wondering how she'd got into that mess and who'd beat her up. Until Sunrise came, and he quickly departed and painfully reformed in his bedroom.

"What did you think?"  
"She's good." Shane shrugged. "Eve liked her too."  
"Is she going to be another Shane Collins victim?" Michael muttered.

"Hey!" Shane protested.

"Whatever, Shane. So where is she?"

"Asleep. Like I said, she was pretty banged up. When she wakes up, she'll talk to you." Shane said. "I think you'll like her thought."

_That's not the problem. She's underage._

Michael strummed his guitar. Thinking. He didn't want to evict her, but he couldn't take the risk keeping her here.

He put the guitar down, and grabbed his beer. "And Happy birthday to you, man." he muttered. He took three sips, then put it down. "And here's to house arrest. What the hell. Own it, or get owned."

He was talking about his current-_situation. _He didn't know if he'd age or not. Would he still be doing the same pattern everyday-still eighteen whilst the others grew old. The other's believed him when he said he wasn't a vampire, but would they when he didn't age. Or would he become an old man, still doing the same thing everyday? Could he ever die of old age? he was still using his body so what would happen to it then? Would he become a real ghost? Would he be forever stuck like he was in the day?

Behind me, someone coughed. Michael turned, noticing that Claire was standing on the stairs. She looked better.

But he knew what he had to do. He had to evict her-not that he wanted to.

"Oh. You're the one Shane said wanted to talk about the room. Hey. Come on down."

She walked down the few stairs, obviously trying not to limp. She looked batter, but he could still see bruises.

"I'm Michael." he said. "And you're not eighteen so this is going to be a real short conversation."

"I'm in college." she protested. "I'm a freshman. My name is-"

"Don't bullshit me and I don't care what your name is." Michael answered. "You're not eighteen. I've got a good bet you're not even seventeen. We don't take anybody in this house who isn't legal. Not that you'd be signing onto the orgy central, but sorry, me and Shane have to worry about things like that. All it takes is you living here and somebody even hinting something's going on-"

"Wait!" Claire blurted out, sounding desperate. "I wouldn't do that. Or say that. I'm not looking to get you guys in trouble. I just need-"

"No." Michael didn't like saying it. He was the oldest around here, and at times like this, he didn't like playing the adult. Maybe if it wasn't Morganville he'd have taken her in, but this was Morganville, and things could get dangerous if you didn't play by the rules. "I'm sorry, but you can't stay here. House rules."

Michael watched Claire. He felt sorry for her, he really did. Her lip was trembling.

And then she did something surprising. She took out her wallet from her back pocket and started counting out notes. "How much?"

Michael stared at her. Part of him wondered how much she'd pay to be able to stay here.

"Is three hundred enough? I can get more if I need to."  
Michael frowned. "How?" he asked.

"Get a job. Sell stuff." Claire shrugged. "I want to stay here, Michael. I really do. Yeah, I'm under eighteen, but I swear, you won't have trouble from me. I'll stay out of your way. I go to school, and I study. That's all I do. I'm not a partyer, I'm not a slacker. I'm useful. I'll-I'll help clean and cook."  
She really meant it. And she was desperate too. Claire seemed like the kind of person that just went to college, came home, studied, and basically just wanted to be left alone in life. And he didn't doubt that that was all that she'd do.

But the risk...

"No. I'm sorry, kid, but it's too much of a risk."

"Eve's only a little bit older than I am!" she protested.

_Yes, but Eve got thrown out onto the street by her parents, because she wouldn't let Brandon bite her._ Michael thought. Although he supposed that whoever had punched her had probably chased her out of college to. Or at least scared her away.

"Eve's eighteen." Michael said. "You're what? Sixteen?"

"Almost seventeen!" She said. "I really am in college. I'm freshman. Here's my student ID-" she held out a card. Michael didn't take it, or even glance at it.

"Come back in a year." he said. "We'll talk about it. Look, I'm sorry. What about the dorm?"  
"They'll kill me if I stay there." Michael looked surprised when she said that. He knew that she'd been beaten up, but he'd never suspected-

But then again, this was Morganville.

"They tried to kill me today." she finished off.

"What?" Michael said.

"The other girls. They punched me and shoved me down the stairs."

Michael walked over to her, and felt in her hair. Yep, the bump was there. She wasn't lying. There was no way that he could send her back there in good conscience, even if this was Morganville.

"What else?" he asked, looking at the bruises.

"What?"

"Besides what I can see? You're not going to drop down dead on me, are you?"  
"I'm ok." she said. "I saw a doctor and everything. It's just-bruises. And a strained ankle. But they pushed me down the stairs, and they meant it, and she told me-" she paused, as if she was remembering something, and a look of horror came on her face. "The girl in charge, she told me that tonight, I'd get what was coming to me. I can't go back to the dorm, Michael. If you send me out that door, they'll kill me, because I don't have any friends and I don't have anyplace to go!"

Michael looked at her. Vampires did go to college from time to time-mostly to the night classes, or they stayed in the shadows. And some of the older ones could stay in the sun for a few seconds. "These girls." he asked. "Do they go out in daylight?"

She blinked, surprised. "You mean, outside? Sure. They go to classes. Well, sometimes."  
"Do they where bracelets?" If they were protected, then they'd get away with stuff like that. After all, Monica Morell had managed to burn down Shane's house, his sister inside it, and had gotten away with it. As far as Michael knew, she was in some college elsewhere, probably unable to remember burning down Shane's house.

"You mean like this?" she picked up Eves abandoned bracelet. "I never noticed. They wear a lot of stuff." Then she looked like she was trying to think, trying to remember. "Maybe."  
"Bracelets with white symbols?" Michael asked. "Do you remember?"  
"No. Does that mean they have protection?"

Michael pretended to be surprised. She was an out of town student, unprotected. She shouldn't know.

But she was smart, he could tell that. She'd put the clues together. What Eve had told her, Michael asking whether they wore bracelets or went out in the sun...

"You mean Condoms?" he said "Doesn't everybody?"

"You know what I mean." her cheeks were burning. Even if she wasn't staying here, it was better for her not to know. At least then she could leave at some point.

"Don't think I do." he said.

"Eve said-"

Michael looked up, all the anger at Eve telling her earlier suddenly showing. "Eve need to keep her mouth shut. She's in enough danger as it is, trolling around out there in her Goth gear. They already think she's mocking them. If they hear she's talking..."

"Them who?" Claire asked.

"People." Michael looked away. "Look, I don't want your blood on my hands. You can stay for a couple of days. But only until you find a place, right? And make it fast-I'm not running a halfway house for battered girls. I've got enough to worry about keeping Eve and Shane out of trouble."  
Claire laid down the three hundred on the table. Michael looked at it, jaw square. "The rents a hundred a month. You buy groceries once a month, too. First month in advance. But you're not staying past that, so keep the rest."

Claire swallowed. Michael counted out a hundred, and pushed £200 aside. Claire quickly took it. "Thanks."  
"Don't thank me." Michael said. "Just don't get us into trouble. I mean it."

Claire got up, and walked into the kitchen. Whilst she was gone, Michael thought. What would have happened to her if he'd thrown her out. Would the vamps have got her? Would she go back to the dorm and take her chances? Or would she try and room with somebody else.

Still, she was here for a while. Safe. Michael wouldn't have her death on his hands. And Eve and Shane-

They liked Claire. Shane had said she was ok to stay here. What would they think if Michael had thrown her out to die?

Claire returned from the kitchen with two bowls of chilli. She gave one to Michael, sat down on the floor, and began eating hers. Michael took a bite of his, and was relieved to find that there was none of Shane's sauce in his chilli.

"Shane made it." Claire said. "It's pretty good."

"Yeah. Chilli and spaghetti that's pretty much all Shane can make." Michael shrugged. "You know how to make anything?"  
"Sure." she said.

"Like?"

"Lasanga." Claire said. "And, um, a sort of hamburger hash thing with noodles, And Tacos."  
Taco's. It'd been a while since he'd had Taco's. And Taco's would be a nice change from chilli.

"Could you make Taco's tomorrow?" Michael asked.

"Sure." Claire shrugged. "I have classes from eleven to five, but I'll stop and pick up the stuff."

Michael nodded. "I'm sorry." he said. He felt slightly guilty about the way he'd treated her. He needed to protect Eve and Shane, but still...

"About what?" Claire asked.

"Being an asshole." he admitted. "look, it's just, I can't-I have to be careful. Really careful."

"You weren't being an asshole." Claire said. "You were trying to protect yourself and your friends. That's okay. That's what you're supposed to do."  
Michael smiled. So she understood. That was good. She didn't hate him and feel resentment towards him, based on earlier.

"If you're in this house, you're my friend." he said. And then, he knew her name anyway, but he had to act like he didn't. "What's your name, by the way?"  
"Claire. Claire Danvers."

"Welcome to the Glass house, Claire Danvers." Michael said.

"But only temporally." Claire said.

"Yeah. Temporally."

Michael and Claire shared an uneasy smile. Then, Michael got up and grabbed the plates, and quickly washed them up in the kitchen.

When he went back, Claire had gone upstairs. He took a quick glance at his alarm clock. He still had a few hours before dawn. But Shane and Eve wouldn't be back by then.

He grabbed a piece of paper, and a pen, and wrote.

Shane and Eve,

Claire is going to be staying with us for a while. She's underage, and she's a freshman at the college. Some girls at school threw her down a staircase. Whilst she's staying with us, I want you to look out for her. She's new to Morganville, and you know what could happen if she doesn't play by the rules.

Michael paused and stared down at the letter. He quickly added "The girls have threatened to kill her." and wrote his name down on it. He left it on the kitchen counter, where Eve might see it, and went back into the living room, and picked up his guitar.

He only wished that he was practising for a performance. He even pretended he was.

But he knew different. The second he left the house, he became smoke.

**Please Review!**


	3. Chapter 3 Cops

**Chapter 3-Cops**

"So." Shane said the next morning. Michael was a ghost again, silent and invisible. "Michael didn't pitch you out."

"No." Claire answered.

Shane nodded slowly. "Something you should know about Michael." Shane said. "He doesn't like taking chances. I wasn't sure he'd let you stay. If he did, then he got a good vibe off of you. Don't disrespect that, because if you do, I won't be happy either. Got it?"

Claire nodded. "He's your friend right?"  
"He saved my life." Shane said. "I'd die for him, but it'd be a dumbass thing to do to thank him for it. So yeah. He's been a friend all my life, and he's more like a brother. So don't get him in trouble."  
"I won't she promised." And then she turned to Eve, who was trying to make scrambled egg. "No milk in the eggs."  
"See? Told ya." Shane said triumphantly.

"Traitor." Eve sighed as she poked at the bacon in the frying pan "Fine. So how was Linda last night?"

"Laura." Shane corrected her.

"Whatever." Eve said, obviously not caring. "Not like I have to remember a name for more than one date anyway."  
"She bowled a one-fifty." Shane said with a shrug.

"God! you're such a disappointment! Share. Already."

Shane smiled and looked down at his eggs. "Hey. Not in front of the kid. You got the note."  
"Kid?" Claire said. She dropped the plates on the counter in shock. "Note?"

Shane handed over Michael's note. She read It quickly, and looked pissed.

So she didn't want Eve and Shane to know she was underage. And she didn't like being called a kid. Too bad.

"I'm not a kid!" Claire protested. "I'm only, like, a year younger than Eve."

"And girls are much more mature." Eve agreed. "So you're about ten years older than Shane then."

"Seriously! I'm not a kid!"  
"Whatever you say, kid." Shane said. "Cheer up. Just means you don't have to put up with me telling you how much sex I didn't get."  
"I'm telling Michael." Eve said. _No need. Michael can hear all. _Michael thought.

"About how much sex I didn't get?" Shane said "Go ahead."

"No bacon for you." Eve said.

"Then no eggs for you." Shane said, looking at both Eve and Claire. "Either of you."  
"Prisoner exchange?" Eve glowered at him.

They swapped pans.

Claire got up and went over to get some food when the doorbell rang. Michael floated to the door, and quickly peeked his head to see the police standing there.

_For Claire. _He realised with a panic. He darted back to Eve and Shane. Eve had hustled Claire into the pantry, and was getting her into the secret room.

"Inside." Eve said. "I'm going to keep the light on out here, but try to keep the flashlight off if you here voices. It could show through the cracks."  
So here it was, the trouble Michael was afraid of. Shane and Eve wouldn't willingly give up Claire, he knew that. Neither would he. But it'd mean trouble for all of them if Claire was caught.

And the worst thing was that he was a ghost at the moment. He couldn't call on the power of the house to help him out. He was relying on Eve and Shane to fool the police, and prayed that they wouldn't find Claire.

Shane opened the door, Eve standing behind him. Good morning, Sir." One of them said. "We heard you were looking for a fourth roommate and have been for a while. Just wondering if the position had been filled. Standard inventory."

"Sir, there's nobody living here but what's on the roster. Just the three of us." Michael sighed in relief as Shane spoke respectfully to the policeman, as opposed to his usual, sarcastic self.

"Which one are you?" The policeman asked.

"Shane Collins sir."

The policeman looked at Eve, then at Shane. "Get your third in here." He meant Michael. Michale felt a slight panic-if Shane or Eve went up to his room and found him missing, what would they do to explain that?

"Well, I would but-Michael's not here. He's out until tonight. You want to check back then..?"

"Never Mind." the man said looking down at his piece of paper. "You're Eve Rosser.?"

"Yes sir." Eve too, sounded respectful.

"Moved out of your parents' house-eight months ago?"

"Yes sir."

"Employed?" he asked.

"At common grounds." she said. "You know the coffee-"

But Eve was interrupted by the policeman. "You, Collins? Any employment?"

"I'm between jobs, sir." Shane said with a shrug. "You know how it is."

"Keep looking." the policeman said. "We don't like slackers in Morganville. Everyone contributes."

"Yes sir. I'll keep that it mind sir." Shane answered.

The policeman hesitated, and stepped into the hallway. "You left town for a couple of years, boy. What brings you back?"

"Homesick, sir." Michael tensed as he heard the sarcasm come back into Shane's voice. "Missed all my old friends."

Thankfully, the policeman ignored Shane's sarcasm. But he was looking around, glancing quickly into the kitchen.

"Sir?" Eve said. "I'm sorry, but I've got work in a half hour...?"  
"One more thing." the policeman shuffled through his papers, and brought up a picture of Claire without bruises. "Here's a picture of a girl who disappeared from her dorm last night? You seen her?"

_Since when do they care about people who are missing from there dorms?_ Michael wondered. But then, they did care if the fact that they were missing wasn't down to vampires.

"No." Shane and Eve both said together. The policeman however, wasn't convinced, and glanced around the house again, this time spotting the light coming through he cracks in the pantry door.

"What's in here?" he asked. Before Eve or Shane could respond, he opened the door and looked around. "You always leave the light on?"

"I was getting some jam when you rang, sir." Eve said. "I probably forgot to turn it off. Sorry."

The light when off in the pantry. Michael plunged in and glided through the wall to the secret room. Claire was still, and holding her breath. The torch was off.

"You ring the station if you see that girl." Michael heard. "She's got herself into some trouble. We're supposed to help her get straightened out."

"Yes sir." Eve said. Michael floated out. The policeman was walking towards the door.

"And if you get the new roommate, you tell us. Standard inventory. Have to know who's where, what there doing, and much taxes they should be paying, regardless of whether or not they have a patron." He quickly glanced down at Eve's bare wrist, taking in that she was unprotected, and then looked back at his papers. "You. Collins. You're behind."

"Sorry sir." Shane said. "Must have just forgotten."

He nodded slightly. "And you can tell Michael that's he's several months behind as well. If the council here about this, they won't be happy."

"Is that all sir?" Eve said. "Because I really need to get to work...?"

"That is all." the policeman said. "Just get down to donation centre and call if you see that girl."  
And he stepped across the threshold, and Eve shut the door.

Eve leant against the door for a moment, sighing in relief, then walked back into the pantry. She rapped on the secret door, then pulled it open.

"It's ok." Eve said as she pulled Claire out. "He's gone."

"Oh the hell it's okay." Shane said from the kitchen. "Those assholes have her picture. They're _looking _for her. What'd you do, Claire? Knife the mayor or something."  
"Nothing!" Claire blurted when she was out. "I-I don't know why. Maybe it's just that they're worried that I didn't show up last night?"

Michael laughed. It was not like the Morganville police to be worried if someone didn't show up.

And Shane thought so to.

"Worried?" he said. "Yeah, that's it. They're _worried _about you. Right, I'm going to have to talk this over with Michael. If they're going to turn the town upside down looking for you, either you're too hot to stay in Morganville or we need to get you under some kind of protection. Fast."

"But maybe-the police-" Claire suggested.

"That was the police." Eve said. "Told you. They run the own. These guys work for the vamps-they're not vamps themselves, but they're scary enough without fangs. Look, can you call your parents? Get them to pull you out of school and take you home or something?"  
"But-I haven't done anything!" she protested. "How can they be after me if I didn't do anything?"

"Life ain't fair." Shane shrugged. "You must have pissed off the wrong people, is all I know. What's the girls name? The one that smacked you around?"  
"M-Monica."

Michael froze. So did Shane and Eve. It was the one person he thought and hoped had left town for good. The person who had effectively caused the death of Shane's sister, and later on, Shane's mother death. The girl who had bullied so many, and been responsible for only too many deaths. The girl who had chased Shane and his family out of town.

"Oh crap." Eve said. "Monica Morrell?"

"Monica." Shane said. "How come nobody told me?"  
"Sorry Shane." Eve said. "I would have-I swear. I thought she left town. Went off to college somewhere else."

Shane shrugged, trying to mask the look of grief and shock. "She probably couldn't stand not being the queen bee, and had to come begging back to daddy to buy her some grades..."

"Shane-" Eve began.

"I'm fine. Don't worry about me." Shane said.

"She probably doesn't remember you." Eve said, before realising what she'd said. Monica had burnt down Shane's house. She killed Shane's sister. And all because Shane had told her he wasn't interested. He pushed Monica away when she had tried to kiss him. He had publically rejected her in front of most of the school.

"I-That's what I meant." Eve said. "I'm sorry."

Shane laughed. And then the laughter stop as he saw something. Michael followed his line of sight and realised.

"Oh Shit." Shane said.

"What?" Eve said.

"Three plates. He knew something was up." Shane said. "We told him Michael wasn't around. No wonder he kept poking."

Shane picked up his plate, and left the kitchen. He walked up the stairs, and Michael heard his door slam.

"So...Shane and Monica.../" Claire began.

"Not like you're thinking." Eve said "He wouldn't touch that skank in a million years. But they were in high school together and Shane...Shane got on her bad side. Just like you did."

"What happened?" Shane wondered.

"He stood up to her, and his house burnt. he nearly died." Eve said. "His-His sister wasn't so lucky. Michael got him out of town, off on his own, before he did something crazy. He's been gone a couple of years. Just came back right before I moved in here." Eve forced a smile. "Let's eat, yeah? I'm starving."  
And they walked into the living room with breakfast, talking, but not about the police visit, or Shane.

And worse, Michael knew it wasn't over. And no doubt, the police would come back here.

**The reasons for Monica's grudge against Shane comes from one of Rachel Caines short stories on her website. I do not own the Morganville vampires. Believe me, I wish I did, and I will own it someday.**

**Hopefully.**

**Anyways, please review!**


	4. Chapter 4 Taco's

**Chapter 4-Tacos**

Michael reformed at Dawn. For a second he felt the stabbing pain in his neck, and the same old ice cold sensation, but it soon cleared.

Michael quickly showered and change into a clean set of clothes. He remembered that Claire had gone out to college, and somehow returned alive and untouched by the vampires and Monica Morell. Not that he believed that. And that Claire was also making Taco's for tea.

_Someone was actually cooking,. _he thought with a smile. Not that he didn't like Shane's Chilli. It was just nice to eat something else for a change.

So, he decided to wear shoes to celebrate the event. Michael hardly wore shoes anymore-what was the point when you couldn't leave the house?  
He walked downstairs, cleared the table and went into the kitchen to help with the Taco preparation. Eve and Shane were already there. "Hey." he said. "This looks good."

Shane opened his mouth to talk, but Eve stopped him. "Claire did it!" she said. "Don't even _let _Shane take credit."  
"Wasn't going to!" Shane protested.

"Riiight." Eve replied.

"I chopped." Shane said. "What did you do?"  
"Cleaned up after you. Like always." Eve shrugged.

Michael made a face, looking at Claire, who laughed and picked up her plate. Michael grabbed his and followed.

They ate. Michael thought the Taco's were good. He enjoyed them

"Hey Dude." Shane said. "When are you going to get a gig again?"  
Michael stopped chewing. He wasn't ready to say that he _couldn't_ leave the house. And he wasn't ready to tell them that the last gig he had been too had killed him.

"When I'm ready." he said.

"Pussy. You had a bad night, Michael. Get back on the horse or whatever." Eve said. "Seriously man, you can't let them get you down."

She meant the vampires. And, Michael thought, being killed by one was a good enough reason to hate them, and be _down _by them, and possibly never perform a gig in this town again.

"I'm not." Michael said. "Not everything is about beating your head against the wall until it breaks."

"Just most things." Shane sighed. "Whatever. Just let me know when you want to stop hermitting."

So Shane had noticed that he didn't ever leave the house. Great.

"I'm not hermitting. I'm practising."

"Like you don't play good enough. Please." Shane replied.

"I get no respect." Michael sighed. He needed to change the subject. Fast. "Yeah, I know. The worlds smallest violin playing just for me. Change the subject. How was that hot date with Lisa anyway? Rented shoes turn on her?" Michael had already asked, but he hoped Shane would overlook that.

"It's Laura." Shane said. "Yeah, she was hot, all right. But I think she had the hots for you. Kept saying how she saw you over at the Waterhouse last year and how you were amazing. It was like a _ménage a trios_, only you weren't there."

Michael smiled smugly. Like everyone else, he liked being admired and remembered. Even if it was by Shane's date for the previous night. "Shut up and eat." Michael said.

Shane shot him the finger. Eve and Claire laughed.

"Shane, you have to admit, you're nice looking, but Michaels better."

"Just _nice _looking?"

"Coin toss." Eve took out a coin, staring at Shane and Michael. "Heads or tails?"

"Heads." Claire said.

"Tails." Shane replied at the same time.

Shane rolled his eyes at Claire. "Fine. Heads."

Eve tossed it, and watched as it landed on the table. They all looked at it.

"Yes!" Shane said. "Heads."

Michael groaned. Seemed that he and Eve would be doing the washing up this evening. Still, it gave him an excuse to spend time with Eve, which he liked.

Even if they could never be together.

**Please Review!**


	5. Chapter 5 Brandon

**Chapter 5-****Brandon**

Michael strummed on his guitar again, imagining that he was out playing in public again, at a concert. Shane was beginning to wonder why he never played anymore, he was getting suspicious. One day, Michael was going to have to tell Shane what he was. a ghost. Half alive, half dead.

Beside him, the alarm beeped. Michael jumped, and looked at it, convinced that this was some mistake. Was it time already? Impossible!

He slapped it off in annoyance, glaring it for a few seconds before checking outside. No, the sky was getting lighter and lighter. Sooner rather than later, he'd be a ghost again. Dissolve into thin air.

And it would hurt. He was used to the pain by now, but it still caught him off guard.

He put his guitar away quickly. It I't do for it to lie in the middle of the floor untouched, and grabbed his beer. He quickly finished it, put it down on the table, folded his arms, and waited.

The sun rose slowly. Michael gasped, doubling over in pain. Behind his, someone moved. Michael was stunned...someone was seeing this...

It was Claire. "No," Michael moaned. "Don't."

It was useless though. Claire was worried about him. Scared. She wasn't going to leave him. She was going to see _everything. _She'd work out what was happening. And she may well tell the others.

Claire put her hand on his back. Michael knew what she feeling-his skin would be boiling. He breathed in and out-it instinctual even though he knew that in a few moments he I't need to breathe. Claire looked panicked. She opened her mouth to call for someone, and then stopped when her hand slid right through Michaels back.

Michael was fading. Claire looked at him afraid. "Oh, God, don't tell them." he managed to say before he completely faded.

The pain had ended. It was always a relief, even if he couldn't feel anything. After a while. He looked up at Claire. Claire was staring at him...or where he'd vanished, mouth open.

She waved her hand around. She no doubt felt the cold air of what was now Michael. "Oh my god." she said, trying to work out what to make of it.

She clamped her hands over her mouth and screamed. She sat down on the couch, looking like she was about to pass out. She almost did. Michael wondered if she would.

"Don't panic." she ways saying it to herself more than to him. "Just don't panic...there's some explanation..."

Michael groaned. Why did people always have to say that...she'd probably end up denying it any time soon.

"Michael." she finally said. "I-I think I can feel you. Are you still here?"

Michael waited a second, before walking through Claire. She'd feel the chills. Let her make of that would she would.

"So you can see us?" Michael walked through her. "You don't go away during the day? Oh-um, stay where you are if it's a no."

Michael stayed still. "Wow-that's harsh." Claire decided. "You don't want me to tell Shane and Eve?" Michael stayed still again. He needed to tell them in his own time. "Is there anything-anything I can do?" Michael laughed staying still. "Michael-will you come back?"

Michael stepped away. Her heard Claire sigh in relief. It'd hurt like hell when he came back though-as bad as it had been when he reformed.

"Tonight?" Michael walked through Claire. "We are _so _going to talk."

Michael groaned, but walked-or floated-away.

Michael reformed again. Claire hadn't come back yet, so he wouldn't have to talk. He sighed in relief, glad when he found that Shane didn't know anything. Claire had kept her mouth shut.

Still, he should tell them.

"Shane?" Michael sat down bracing himself. "I need to tell you something."

Shane looked around confused. "Oh? Sure." he sat down next to Michael.

"It's about why I'm never awake at day." Michael said. "I'm not a Vampire, I promise." he added quickly. "Do you believe me?"

"Yeah, I do." he replied.

"Okay." Michael took a big breath, bracing himself. There was yelling outside.

Something hit the door. Michael and Shane jumped at the same time. "Shane! Michael!"

"Now, lets not be rude Eve." A voice said "Who's your sweet little friend?"

Michael and Shane looked at each other, alarmed. "Brandon." They both said at the same time.

Shane got up and jogged towards the door. Michael was behind him. Claire was holding hey key out, as if she was just about to open the door.

"Eve!" Claire gasped.

Michael paled, looking in horror over at Eve. Brandon was in front of Eve, blocking her way between the car and the door. Michael had to force himself not to leap out the door and take Brandon on. He could beat Brandon if he was _in_ the house. But when he was outside the house, Michael would become smoke.

Shane pushed past Claire, going for Brandon. "Inside." Michael said to Claire, pulling her inside and pushing Claire behind him. Michael was trying to call upon the house's powers to beat Brandon...except Brandon was outside the house.

"This is our house." Shane said to Brandon. Eve was backing up, watching them. "_Our _house. There's protection on houses."

"This isn't the house." Brandon smiled.

"Go to hell, Brandon."

Brandon smiled slightly. Eve turned and ran up the porch, launching herself into the house and into Michael's arms. "Shane!" Michael called.

Brandon tried to grab Shane. Shane dodged, and kicked Brandon as hard as he could. Brandon flew backward towards the fence, breaking it and landing in the street.

Shane had fallen over when he'd kicked Brandon. He got up and ran for the door.

But Brandon was faster. Michael saw him move, whereas everyone else would have seen a blur. Only a vampire could see someone move that fast-but then again, Michael was a half vampire. Half Dead, Half Alive.

Brandon grabbed Shane's T-shirt, pulling Shane towards him. But Shane was reaching, and Michael was waiting for the right moment-

Michael grabbed him, feeling cold as his hands crossed the threshold. He was stronger than Brandon though, and he pulled Shane in, feeling the relief as his hands were back inside the house.

Shane's shirt ripped as Shane fell into the house. Brandon tried to get in, but he couldn't. Michael winced as Brandon hit the barrier. He could feel it-like something stone had hit him. Hard. Brandon's fangs extended. He hissed.

Michael wanted to laugh. He wasn't going to let Brandon in-even though he could probably take Brandon in a fight with the house behind him. All four off them were in the house, and Brandon was outside, unable to enter.

"Try it again and we'll stake you in your sleep." Michael said. "Count on it. Tell your friends."

Michael slammed the door. Eve collapsed. Shane seemed more worried about his T-shirt than anything else-even if T-shirt's like Shane's were hard to get in Morganville.

Michael was worried. He couldn't protect them outside the house.

**Please Review.**


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